Eric Herbert Sherman

Military
media-21515.png UPL 21515 Eric H. Sherman (photo courtesy of the Sherman family)

Added photo

Object Number - UPL 21515 - Eric H. Sherman (photo courtesy of the Sherman family)

(Adapted from the obituary in The San Diego Union Tribune, 23 September 2008)

Born and raised in Illinois, Eric Sherman moved to San Diego in March of 1941 where he met and married a sweet local girl, Ethel Currier. He worked for the Southern California Telephone Company from June of 1941 until he entered the Army Air Force Cadet Program in March of 1942.



Made a 2nd Lieutenant, he was assigned to the 446th Bomb Group on 3 June 1943 at Alamagordo, New Mexico. Sent to Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado for further training, he accompanied the air echelon to Europe.



Eric became a B-24 lead pilot in the 8th Air Force’s 446th Bomber Group in England. He flew his first mission on 16 December 1943 and was shot down on his 28th mission on 21 July 1944, piloting B-24 “Quivering Box” # 42-100315.



Immediately captured after landing in parachute, he was made a Prisoner of War (POW) and interned at Stalag Luft 1 in Barth, Northern Germany. The camp was liberated by the Russian Army in May 1945.



Repatriated to the USA, Eric returned to civilian life and his career at the telephone company in San Diego in January of 1947. He retired from the telephone company (Pacific Bell) and from the Air Force Reserves in 1980 as a Lt. Colonel.



Eric loved sports and played locally AAA and AA fast pitch softball. He belonged to Torrey Pines, Coronado and Balboa Golf Courses and a couple of local bowling leagues.

Connections

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Units served with

A flight of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group fly in formation above the clouds.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18049224 & O-434031
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34185329
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-817328
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16077659 and O-741175
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Quivering Box
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Werewolf/Princess ORourke
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 705th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Aerial photograph of Bungay (Flixton) airfield, looking south, the technical site- with T2 hangar- and control tower are to the right, where the main airfield gate is also situated, 16 October 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/930. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Flixton

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Evanston, Illinois 21 July 1919 the son of Eric A. and Hedwig S. Sherman

Enlisted

Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, California, United States 4 March 1942 as an Aviation Cadet in the Air Corps

Other

captured

near Tholen, The Netherlands 21 July 1944 Immediately arrested after landing in parachute

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

21 July 1944 Interned at Stalag Luft 1, North 2 Compound, Barrack 7, Room 12 Barth, Germany.

Died

La Jolla, San Diego, California, United States 17 September 2008
San Diego, California, United States

Buried

Greenwood National Park, San Diego, California, United States

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 7250
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
US 1940 Census

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 7250
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
US 1940 Census

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self, MACR 7250 & Page 406 in the book 2ND AIR DIVISIONby Turner Publishing Company, 1998 edition (D790.A2S45); The History of the 446th Bomb Group (H), pg 15

Eric Herbert Sherman: Gallery (6 items)